A tip off from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped Australian police charge a man with nine child abuse offences including the rape of a child.
Northern Territory officers received an urgent referral from the FBI through the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on Wednesday.
Detectives and federal agents from the joint anti-child exploitation team allegedly seized ‘large quantities of child abuse material’ during a search of an Alice Springs home.
Police have alleged the man, 28, abused a child aged under five-years-old, who was known to him.
‘The [alleged] crimes committed by this individual are abhorrent,’ NT Police Detective Superintendent Paul Lawson.
‘[Allegedly] preying on the most vulnerable members of our community who cannot defend themselves.
‘I want to commend the seamless collaboration with our international and federal partners to target this [alleged] offender and bring him before the court.’
The man has been charged with one count of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, two counts of gross indecency with a child under 14 and three counts of producing child abuse material for use via a carriage service.
An Alice Springs man, 28, has been charged with the rape of a child and possessing large amounts of child abuse material (stock image)
NT Police have charged the man with nine offences after they received an urgent referral from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (stock image)
He was also charged with the possession, access and transmission of child abuse material.
The 28-year-old has been remanded to appear in Alice Springs Court on July 10.
AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said the force and its partners across Australia were committed to protecting children from sexual predators.
‘Offenders cannot hide behind a screen when they carry out these reprehensible and hideous acts,’ he said.
